Overview
A master’s degree (e.g., MHPE, MPH, MEd, or MS degree) is a prerequisite for the PhD in HPE. Learners entering the program without an MHPE or USU’s MEd-HPE should expect to complete all masters level coursework before beginning the PhD level coursework. The PhD degree is meant to serve those select students with the desire to be at the forefront of the scholarship, leadership, and education of health professions learners. The PhD degree is a research-intensive degree meant for those individuals planning to serve as independent researchers, research directors, and/or principal or associate investigators on grant-funded HPE research after graduation. It also provides additional education in all HPE competencies to include education and leadership. The dissertation requires more focused and thematic investigation (i.e., a series of related studies) with demonstration of expertise in research methods in HPE. The leadership and teaching curricula are also more challenging, requiring a higher level of mastery than the MHPE.
The PhD in HPE is targeted toward deans (associate, senior, and vice level), department chairs, department vice chairs of research and education, directors of research and teaching programs, and other leaders in HPE to further enhance their knowledge and skills beyond the core areas of the MHPE and MEd-HPE programs. Like these programs, the doctoral degree places emphasis on the practical application of core principles. Graduates are expected to serve as leaders, scholars, and educators in the DoD’s health professions programs.
The PhD in HPE is sequenced to be completed in four years on a full-time basis. Part-time learners are expected to complete the PhD in HPE in five years. The program requires 24 months of full-time study -- or 36 months of part-time study -- beyond the masters degrees. The satisfactory completion of a dissertation is required for graduation (resulting in at least four papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals), as are completion of a written portfolio, oral exam, and oral dissertation defense.
*Note: All three degrees in HPE can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. To be eligible for admission into any of the HPE programs, an individual must be an employee of the federal government (either civilian or uniformed) unless otherwise specified through an agreement (e.g., Memorandum of Understanding) between USU and the relevant institution.
Degree Requirements
Complete the following:
| HPE 500 | Leadership Theories in Practice | 2 |
| HPE 502 | Philosophies of Science | 2 |
| HPE 504 | Principles of Instruction in Clinical Settings | 2 |
| HPE 505 | Quantitative Research Methods in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 506 | Principles of Online Instruction | 2 |
| HPE 507 | Qualitative Research Methods in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 550 | Learning Theories | 2 |
| HPE 555 | Teaching Methods | 2 |
| HPE 560 | Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation | 2 |
| HPE 565 | Curriculum Development | 2 |
| HPE 601 | Research Bootcamp II | 2 |
| HPE 603 | Reflections on Leadership | 2 |
| HPE 605 | Mixed Methods | 2 |
| HPE 607 | Grant Writing | 2 |
| HPE 608 | Meet the Experts | 1 |
| HPE 400 | Master’s Practicum in HPE | 1-9 |
| HPE 905 | Masters Thesis in HPE | 1-9 |
| HPE 910 | Doctoral Dissertation in HPE | 1-9 |
| HPE 911 | Doctoral Practicum in HPE | 1-9 |
| HPE 912 | Independent Study in HPE | 1-9 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 31-71 |
Degree Selectives
Complete one course from each domain: Education, Leadership, and Research.
Education Domain
| HPE 801 | Advanced Theories in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 804 | Advanced Instruction and Curriculum Development in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 805 | Advanced Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 807 | Advanced Online Learning and Instruction within HPE | 2 |
Leadership Domain
| HPE 800 | Fundamentals of Systems Thinking | 2 |
| HPE 806 | Advanced Principles of Leadership in HPE | 2 |
Research Domain
| HPE 606 | Advanced Mixed Methods | 2 |
| HPE 802 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 803 | Advanced Quantitative Research Method in HPE | 2 |
Total Credit Hours: 6
Degree Electives
Electives List
| HPE 503 | Practice of Assessment of Competence | 1 |
| HPE 600 | Research Bootcamp I | 2 |
| HPE 602 | Teaching with Technology | 2 |
| HPE 604 | Rhetoric and Academic Writing Seminar | 2 |
| HPE 610 | Leadership and Followership in Teams: A Social Psychology Perspective | 1 |
| HPE 611 | Accept, Reject, or Revise? Becoming a Reviewer and Author in Health Professions Education | 2 |
| HPE 612 | Scholarly Innovation I | 2 |
| HPE 614 | Principles of Simulation-Based Learning in HPE | 2 |
| HPE 615 | AI in Health Professions Education: Implications for Educators and Leaders | 2 |
| HPE 616 | Leading with Imagination | 2 |
Students must complete a minimum of 108 credit hours which includes required elective and research courses not shown above.
One (1) credit of elective is required.